Ranged Missile Attack
This article deals specifically with Ranged '''Missile' Attacks. For an overview of how Ranged Attacks work in general, see Ranged Attack.'' A Ranged Missile Attack is one of three classes of Ranged Attacks available in Master of Magic; it actually consists of two types, Bows and Bullets, which only differ in the graphics they use and the description on the character sheet. When a unit is capable of making a Ranged Missile Attack, its details panel will show the strength of the attack as a series of or (the bullet symbol is unfortunately the same as the one used for Rocks, but it will say Bullets instead of Rocks down below). The icon is used on this wiki to represent Ranged Missile Attacks and/or their strength. Ranged Missile Attacks are generally weaker than other Ranged Attacks. For one, all suffer from penalties based on the distance to the target: the further away the target, the higher the penalty. Thus they are significantly less useful at long range. Furthermore, are generally weak in strength, and generally have little or no chance of harming opponents possessing Missile Immunity. Mitigating this somewhat, most are containing plenty of figures, increasing the statistical chance of causing at least some damage. Also, a Ranged Missile Attack can harm opponents possessing Magic Immunity, making it more useful than Ranged Magical Attacks in this particular case. Like all other Ranged Attacks, Ranged Missile Attacks may only be used a limited number of times (usually 8) per battle. This number is displayed in the unit's details panel. Ranged Missile Attacks are fairly common compared to other Ranged Attack types. There are 15 different types of Normal Units possessing this attack, and an additional 4 Heroes. There are no Fantastic Units possessing this type of attack. Note that all of the Heroes possessing a Ranged Missile Attack may use a Bow to increase the strength of this attack. Ranged Missile Attack Properties A is one of three different types of Ranged Attack in Master of Magic, with the other two being Ranged Magical Attacks and Ranged Boulder Attacks. There are several important differences between each of these attack types. The advantages and disadvantages of Ranged Missile Attacks are explained below - for an overall comparison, see Ranged Attack. Distance Penalties suffer from an important disadvantage that seriously affects the way they are used in combat, especially when compared to the simpler (and deadlier) : they suffer penalties based on distance to the target. The penalty equals for every 3 tiles of distance between the shooter and the target. Therefore, the shooter suffers at a distance of 3 tiles, and at a distance of 6 tiles. The game's original manual indicates that is the largest penalty possible, but the Strategy Guide implies that the bonus could be even higher (i.e. at 9 tiles, and so on). At a distance of 1 or 2 tiles from the target (i.e. either adjacent to the shooter or one empty tile apart), the shooter suffers no penalty at all. As a result of this penalty, will generally want to close the distance with their target before spending any of their ammunition. Attempting a long-range shot may reduce the shooter's score by such a large amount that there is very little chance to actually inflict any damage on the target whatsoever. The same principle is also important to remember when fighting against enemy : if you wish to minimize damage, keep your units as far away from the enemy Missile troops until they've depleted all of their ammunition. After that you can close the distance safely. Immunity to Missiles Ranged Missile Attacks directed at a target possessing Missile Immunity will trigger that ability - raising the target's Defense score to for purposes of blocking damage from this attack. is virtually impossible to defeat; only extremely-powerful Heroes will ever have enough to have any real chance of inflicting damage through this much armor. Thus, Missile Immunity usually makes a unit completely impervious to . No Immunity to Magic On the other hand, Ranged Missile Attacks do not trigger a target's Magic Immunity, if it possesses one. Therefore, Ranged Missile Attacks may be useful against such units, where will likely have no effect whatsoever. Units with Ranged Missile Attacks The game contains exactly 18 units that possess a Ranged Missile Attack. These are the only units that possess such an attack: no unit may acquire a Ranged Missile Attack under any circumstance if it does not have one by default. Normal Units 14 of the Ranged Missile Attack units in the game are Normal Units from various Races. Bowmen are the most common of these, and several races also possess unique racial units with a stronger and/or more useful Ranged Missile Attack. Most of these units may make up to 8 Ranged Missile Attacks per battle, though some can only make 6. Since these units are all , their overall attack strength is often higher than implied by the raw attack score, but generally Ranged Missile Attack Normal Units are fairly weak overall. Normal Units equipped with or receive a bonus of or (respectively) to their Ranged Missile Attack. Those weapons as well as will improve Missile Attacks in 2 further ways: firstly ignoring Weapon Immunity ability, secondly giving a bonus. Normal Units acquire Experience over time, which slowly increases the strength of their Ranged Missile Attack. Some can become surprisingly powerful by the time they reach Level 4 ("Elite") or higher. The table below lists a unit's strength when it is still at its lowest with no bonuses whatsoever. * The Slingers' Ranged Attack is marked with , but it is nonetheless a Ranged Missile Attack for all intents and purposes. Heroes There are 4 Heroes in the game who possess a Ranged Missile Attack. Each of these Heroes can use his/her Ranged Attack up to 8 times per battle, but fortunately most of them can then switch to a respectable Melee Attack if necessary. Since each Hero is a , the strength of his/her Ranged Missile Attack can be considered quite low (at least initially) when compared to other units. Heroes will generally use their speed to get very close to their targets before firing, this making the most of each attack. All 4 of these Heroes are also capable of holding a Bow. Any attack-strength bonuses and/or bonuses on the item will improve the user's strength. Bonuses on Jewelry items also apply to the wearer's Ranged Missile Attack, if he/she possesses one. Heroes gain Experience over time, and their strength increases at a rate of per level. Leadership is the only Hero Ability that increases this further with each , and sadly will give no more than or at most, even when the Hero reaches Level 9 ("Demi-God"). Note however that bonuses from Leadership apply to all units in the Hero's army. The Blademaster ability also influences the Hero's , and to a much greater degree than Leadership, but it does so indirectly by raising the Hero's score. This helps the attack inflict more of its potential damage output. Note that the same bonus applies to all of the Hero's attacks. The table below assumes each Hero is at his/her starting , with no Magical Items, Hero Abilities or Random Abilities. Spells and Abilities affecting Ranged Missile Attacks works very similar. But there are some abilities and spells that only affect , namely: Flame Blade, Metal Fires, Weakness, Guardian Wind, Missile Immunity, Warp Wood, Eldritch Weapon. Category:Attack Types